This invention relates generally to apparatus for dispensing a liquid from a box type container and more particularly to an apparatus for gravity dispensing a liquid from a laminated paperboard carton or the like through a reclosable corner opening.
Liquid containers and the means for controlling the delivery of a liquid from the container take many forms and ultimately depends upon the environment within which they are used and the particular type of material being dispensed. Where gravity flow devices are employed, there is usually included some type of controlled delivery port located at the bottom of the container which is either manually or mechanically operated. In some configurations, controlled delivery is accomplished by constricter means positioned around a flexible tube or the like.
More recently, apparatus for controlling the flow of a liquid from a flexible bag has become known.Such apparatus utilizes opposed pairs of jaws which grip a portion of the bag material adjacent a lowermost corner of the bag on opposite sides thereof. A camming system causes the jaws to move towards and away from each other to alternately relax and render taut the material adjacent an opening formed by cutting off the lowermost corner of the bag to permit and restrict the flow of liquid through the opening. Cooperating with the gripping jaws are a pair of resilient sealing bars which move together just above the opening and seal the opening against flow when the jaws move apart from each other. While this apparatus presumably operates as intended, its construction is relatively complicated and unworkable for a generally rectangularly shaped carton constructed of laminated paperboard.